SHARING WORKPLACE SOLUTIONS BY SOLUTION DATA-BANKS

The need to exchange information on solutions and control measures to reduce occupational hazards has become an important issue amongst occu pational safety and health professionals. During the first conference of the IOHA this issue was discussed during the successful workshop '' Sharing knowledge on preventive measures''. An expert working group of the European Commission has recently drawn up a report advising the d evelopment of a European initiative in this area, and in september 199 4 a WHO working group was formed on this topic. Data banks on solution s are one of the possible ways to supply this information. This articl e summarizes the conclusions of the review of existing data banks and specifies the objectives and structure of a proposed bank. Based upon a consideration of the available classification systems for informatio n on solutions, it specifies how data on solutions could be stored, an d provides intelligent assistance to users in locating solutions close to the source or in gaining access to information on comparable proce sses which are intrinsically less hazardous. The proposed data bank ha s a navigation system with two principle entry points, corresponding t o two basic types of solution: firstly based on the production process , subdivided into the production principle and function as an access p oint to substitute methods of production; secondly the hazard and its emission and transmission process as an access point for more conventi onal hygiene control measures. A third access directly to control meas ures can be used by expert users. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.